CJ Cannata, president and CEO, The Cannata Report; Larry Weiss, CEO, Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office; Mike Marusic, president and CEO, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America; and Frank G. Cannata, founder, The Cannata Report.
The winners of the Frank Awards were announced at our 37th Annual Awards and Charities Gala, themed “Shake It Up,” sponsored by Hytec Dealer Services and ConnectWise last night at The Madison Hotel in Morristown, NJ. The event raised $180,000 to create the Marie Cusumano Endowed Scholarship at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, located in Nutley, NJ. To date, The Cannata Report’s Annual Awards & Charities Gala has raised $1.5 million for endeavors funded by Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation and has collectively raised over $3 million for many charitable organizations nationwide.
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America led the night by winning four Frank Awards. Winners are determined by The Cannata Report’s Annual Dealer Survey conducted earlier this year. The following are the winners of the Frank Awards listed in the order announced last night:
Best Production Print Manufacturer: Ricoh USA
Best A4 Manufacturer: Kyocera Document Solutions America
Best in Class: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Best Diversification Partner (new this year): ConnectWise
Best Marketing Strategy: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Best ECM/Document Management Software Provider: DocuWare
Best Print Management Software Provider: ACDI and PaperCut
Best IT and Security Services Provider: ConnectWise
Best Technical Service Provider: Ricoh USA
Best Leasing Company: GreatAmerica Financial Services
Best Female Executive: Laura Blackmer, President, Dealer Sales, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, U.S.A.
Best Male Executive: Mike Marusic, President and CEO, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Best Manufacturer: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
In addition to the Frank Awards, two special awards were bestowed last night. Larry Weiss, CEO of Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, was given the Frank G. Cannata Philanthropy Award for his support of a wide array of charitable organizations, including The Mariano Rivera Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, and the Jillian Fund, among others. Weiss, a board member of The Mariano Rivera Foundation, was congratulated at the Gala by Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera via a video tribute. Weiss is the first person to receive the award created last year to honor its namesake Frank G. Cannata, founder of The Cannata Report.
“It is my honor to give this award to my dear friend Larry Weiss who inspires everyone with his giving spirit. He exudes the same passion and devotion to his charitable work as he does in his successful business enterprises. Larry is always thinking about others and asking how he can help, and his generosity has made a difference for so many organizations and the individuals they serve,” said Frank G. Cannata.
Mike Jones, president of vendor equipment finance, CIT Business Capital, a division of First Citizens Bank, was also honored last night with The Cannata Report‘s Veteran’s Award in recognition of his military service and dedication to helping fellow veterans transition from military life to the workforce. Jones is devoted to many veterans’ initiatives, including Wounded Warrior Project and Operation New Uniform, where he serves as a board member. Jeremiah Shepard, general manager, technical services, Dove Technologies, and the recipient of The Cannata Report‘s Veteran’s Award in 2021, made the announcement.
“We are always overwhelmed by the support our Gala receives each year, but this year is a night we will never forget because we memorialized the sister of our founder Frank G. Cannata and my aunt, Marie Cusumano. She inspired all of us, and we appreciate the generosity of our guests in supporting the endowment in her honor. Aunt Marie always took care of us. There is no better way to remember her than with a scholarship at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine to assist a student pursuing a degree in her home state of New Jersey,” said CJ Cannata, president and CEO.
“We are so thankful to our friends at The Cannata Report, who always support important initiatives and priorities at Hackensack Meridian Health, including cancer research and now education,” said Helen A. Cunning, senior vice president, Network Development, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “Providing scholarships to the next generation of physicians is a priority for us, and we are so pleased to make it happen with the touching creation of the Marie Cusumano Endowed Scholarship.”
Beginning in the spring of 2024, the Marie Cusumano Endowed Scholarship will provide funds to a student selected by the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s academic board.
“Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is committed to offering the best, most patient- and community-centered medical education to our medical students,” said Jeffrey Boscamp, M.D. , interim dean, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “The generosity from The Cannata Report that established the Marie Cusumano Endowed Scholarship is greatly appreciated and will provide one of our students with the means to achieve their dreams of becoming a physician.”
“We are so grateful to our long-time sponsors Hytec Dealer Services and ConnectWise, for their continued support,” added CJ Cannata. “We were thrilled to welcome additional sponsors to the Gala festivities this year and thank hp for sponsoring the evening’s Cocktail Reception and Xerox and Polek & Polek for sponsoring the After Party. Our sponsors enable us to donate 100% of the funds raised at our Gala directly to our beneficiary, and we are indebted to them for their support.”
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